Shelby
by meme1
Summary: Prequel to 'Before' follows Rafe and Rosie through their relationsip.
1. 1

Rosie Gadry ran out the front door of her house and charged down the steps before realizing she forgot her lunch and had to turn around and go back in. She couldn't contain her excitement, she hadn't seen her best friend and crush Rafe McCawley all summer because her father had sent her to spend it with her grandmother Agnes. And she thought if she didn't get to see him soon she'd burst. After grabbing her sack lunch for the fridge she set off in a sprint again out of the house.  
  
It was the first day of ninth grade, the first day at Shelby High. Rosanna short legs pumped as fast as they were capable of going and as the school came into view they pumped even harder. Her wavy brown hair was a mess when she came to a stop at the front of the school, her dark eyes scanning the crowd of teens for the faces of her friends, Rafe and Danny Walker. The two boys had been like the other two peas in her pod since she met them in kindergarten and she wasn't about to walk into the building without them.  
  
"Hey Ro!" Rosie spun around quickly to be face to face with Rafe, she wasn't sure how he managed it, but some how they boy got even better looking over that summer. She was all smiles until her eyes fell on the slender face with crystal blue eyes framed in think black curls.  
  
"Rosie you know Darlene Chavez, don't?" Rafe pulled the raven haired girl to his side.  
  
"Yeah I know her." Rosie grumbled kicking some dirt, causing a dust cloud to encircle the bottom of Darlene's dress.  
  
"Cut it out Rosanna, this is a new dress." The girl shrieked   
  
"Oh sorry." Rosie looked down at her hands and stalked off hoping she'd run into Danny and his girlfriend Elizabeth Sullivan. Beth may have been a snob, but Rosie would take her over whatever trollop Rafe was dating any day. Unfortunately she was flying solo that morning.  
  
By fourth period Rosie was just about ready to drop out of school, Danny was off in his own little world with Beth, no one in the entire town knew what the beautiful and classy mayor's daughter saw in a shy farm boy like Danny but two were inseparable and had been together for over a year at that point, long in the line of middle school romances. Rosie didn't want to interrupt them and she certainly wasn't about to go near Rafe when he had his girlfriend around so she took her lunch outside to be alone.  
  
So much for the warm welcome she'd been hoping for, she'd spent her whole summer dreaming about coming home and having Rafe pick her up and spin her around babbling about how he missed her. But it was just a child like fantasy, she'd always be the person he came to when he and Danny couldn't figure out why the car wouldn't start or needed another person to play football with, girls like Darlene Chavez were the one's that he'd fall for.  
  
Girls all with some deep underlying evilness that only she could see at first and then suddenly the tragic flaw would be revealed to the world. Rafe would run to her and she'd tell him he could do better then whatever jezebel had broken his heart, the entire time secretly wishing he'd realize one day it was here he was meant for the whole time. But Rosie was a smart girl and while she'd loved him from the very first day she met him, when he saved her from a bully in kindergarten, she knew she wasn't his kind of girl. Sure she wanted to be with him with everything in her heart but above all else she wanted him to be happy.  
  
Rosanna was sitting outside on the grassy lawn near the football field minding her own business and eating her lunch when a shadow fell over her.  
  
"Rafe and I went out all summer while you were away you know." Darlene proclaimed standing over Rosie with her hands on her hips  
  
"That's nice Darlene." Rosie answered with her mouth full of bologna and cheese  
  
"Yuck you really are disgusting Rosanna. And to think all Rafe did was talk about you all vacation. Not that I can figure out why when he had me."  
  
"Well I wish I could help you Darlene but I can't figure that boy out anymore then you can."  
  
"Oh stop with the nonsense, you know him better then anyone else, well expect maybe Danny, but I'm the girl in his life now so just stay away from him."  
  
"That's what I was tryin' to do, now I think I hafta go tell him what type of person you are."  
  
"You're pathetic. And you know what else you're never gonna have Rafe, not matter how long you follow him around like a lost little puppy dog. He doesn't like grease monkey's with no class."  
  
Rosie shook her head and stood up attempting to walk away but Darlene grabbed her shoulder  
"I'm not done with you yet." She jerked Rosie to a halt, bad move.  
  
"Hey have either of you seen Darlene or Ro any where?" Rafe jogged up behind his best friend in hallway on the way to the cafeteria.  
  
"I haven't, have you Beth?" Danny turned his head to the pretty blonde standing close to his side  
  
"No I haven't, she's probably out tuning an engine or playing softball or something." The mayor's daughter scoffed before being stabbed with the daggers shooting from Rafe's eyes.  
  
"Rafe, Rosanna Gadry is about to beat the tar outa your girlfriend." Johnny Porter panted as he raced past the three friends in a mad dash to get out the football field and witness the action  
  
"Oh shit." Rafe yelled hurtling after him  
  
When Rafe, Danny and Beth made it out to the school yard a congregation had already started to form around the wrestling girls. Rafe knew first hand what kind of power one of Rosie's punches contained, he was the one that taught her to fight to begin with, so he hoped she hadn't already killed his girlfriend. He and Danny charge through the crowd, Danny getting Darlene from behind and Rafe grabbing Rosie around the waist.   
  
"Put me down!" She screamed trying to kick free of his grasp  
  
"Not until you promise to calm down." McCawley stated tossing her over his shoulder   
  
"Alright who started this?" Danny queried with a sigh  
  
"Everybody go back to your lives." Beth commanded shooing the onlookers  
  
"She's a lovely girl." The snide comment came from one of the snots of Shelby High  
  
To which Beth countered with  
"Yes she is, isn't she? Ah, but we're afraid she has a homicidal streak."  
  
"She started it." Both Rosie and Darlene accused  
  
"Oh boy." Danny sighed again  
  
"Rafe McCawley you put me down right now." Rosie ordered kicking him in the side  
  
"Ro, knock it off." He jostled his shoulders to bounce her around a bit   
  
"Rafe!!!." She snarled slapping him in the back of the head, which he ignored  
  
"Darlene why did you do it?" Rafe inquired still holding his friend like a sack of potatoes  
  
"Me, why do you assume it was me?" Darlene gasped wide eyed  
  
"Cuz if Ro here had," He smacked her behind causing her to yelp "she'd be bragging about it. She doesn't lie to me about anything."  
  
"Oh pooh on you Rafe McCawley. If you love Rosanna Gadry so much why don't you just marry her?" Darlene growled and then stormed off  
  
"Um guys we have class in two minutes." Beth announced looking at her diamond studded gold watch  
  
"Right, best not to be late on the first day." Danny agreed causing them to all head back toward the main building   
  
"Um Rafe can you put me down now?" Rosie requested still hanging from his shoulder  
  
"Be quiet you." He laughed as he patted her butt again.  
  
For the rest of the day Rosie was the talk in every class, not just because she'd been in a fight on her first day but because she'd broken up Rafe and Darlene. The two that were set to be the freshmen classes power couple. It wasn't like she was some home wrecker, she didn't mean to get in the middle of Rafe and his new girl. It just sort of turned out that way, every time. The other girl was always jealous of the dark haired beauty that occupied more of their man's time then they did, even if she was a tomboy.  
  
By the end of the day the entire incident had been blown way out of proportion. In one tale Rosie had a broken nose and Rafe told her he'd chose Darlene over her. Guess who came up with that one. Rosie couldn't handle it, she was so unnerved all she wanted to do was go home. When the bell rang to signal the release of the students she nearly turned a summersault.  
  
Half way up the road from the school she heard the familiar gait running up quickly in her direction and she kicked a nearby rock. No exactly the person she wanted to see right then.  
  
"Why didn't you wait for us?" A male voice asked as the person fell into step beside of her  
  
"Just wanna be alone." Rosie mumbled  
  
"So ya don't want any company"  
  
"No thanks."  
  
"Ro, get over it, I'm gonna walk with ya anyway." Rafe bumped her hip lightly  
  
"Where's Beth and Danny?" The girl asked swinging her arms as they walked  
  
"When I told them I was gonna go looking for ya they said they'd let us be alone. So tell me what happened today Ro? You never snap like that no matter how mad ya get."  
  
"Darlene was just bein' Darlene."  
  
"Could you be a little more specific, I'm not a mind reader."  
  
"She was just sayin' that she was the girl in your life now, that you didn't need me anymore. I know I shouldn't have let it bother me but ya know, it just did…"  
  
"Oh come on Ro, you know no matter who I'm datin' you're still the girl in my life. Those girls come and go but you've been then before em all and you'll be there along time to come." He squeezed her hand lightly  
  
"Thanks Rafe."  
  
"No problem. I missed you a whole lot this summer, but you uh grew quite a bit over the time you was away."  
  
Rosie tried to contain the redness in her cheeks, he was right while she was with her grandmother she's filled out rather well. Her skin turned to a fine and delicate peaches and cream completion, her eyes got more of a sparkle and her hair got all shiny. If it wasn't for the overalls and boots she seemed to be wearing more often then not, Rosie would've been a very cute girl.  
  
"Uh yeah I did." She giggled bashfully "I missed you too, oh crap I'm late for work at Daddy's shop." She lied and took off like a shot. That was one hell of a first day of school 


	2. 2

Rafe laid on his staring at his ceiling, Rosie had really done it this time. He'd made the mistake of bringing his newest girlfriend Crystal Hewitt over to Alexander Gadry garage to introduce her to Rosie and in true Rosanna fashion she'd poured an entire quart of oil down the front of Crystal's silk blouse. She was getting bad for his relationships these days, between the beginning of freshmen year and the middle of sophomore year which they were in now, she'd managed to ruin things for him and seven girls in one way or another. Not that it was usually her fault, Darlene was Darlene, Kaitlyn McCormick had tried to make him choose between being with her or being friends with Rosie (guess how that turned out), Sara Knight was her fault though, she'd told Sara that if she ever hurt Rafe she'd skin her alive. That of course caused the girl to end things before the boy could get too attached. Then came Molly Wright, Tessa Smith, Lana Black and Beatrice Timmons. And the thing about it is, he could never bring himself to be mad at her.   
  
"Hey Rafe, Crystal's here to see you." Danny bounded up the stairs with a curious expression on his face. Surprise didn't even beginning to describe what Danny felt when he'd opened the door and found Crystal on the other side. Normally after their run ins with Rosie you never see the girls again. The fact that she was still interested in Rafe was a good sign.  
  
Crystal was sitting on the front porch tapping her foot impatiently. He blonde hair was falling loosely around her face and she'd changed her shirt.  
  
"Crystal? I didn't expect you to come by. What are you doing here?" Rafe jammed his hands in his pockets and gave her a nervous smile.  
  
"Well I certainly hope you didn't think a little motor oil was going to get me out of your life. I'm just so smitten with you Rafe McCawley, that I'm not gonna let any ol' thing Rosanna Gadry does to me get in the way." Crystal slid over making room for Rafe on the bench beside her.  
  
"That's good, cuz uh Rosie, she tends to mess things up a lot. She doesn't do it on purpose, she's just sorta can't avoid it. And ya know after Danny she's my best friend, so if we're gonna be together, you're gonna hafta get along with her."  
  
"Well I can't promise I'll like her, but I'll promise to be pleasant to her at least."  
  
"I guess that's all I can ask for right. So do you wanna maybe go get a coke or something?"  
  
"Why you just try and stop me." Crystal batted her long lashes her green eyes sparkling  
  
After that day Rafe didn't see Rosie other then in school for almost three weeks. And she didn't really talk to him much in class. He was starting to think she was avoiding him. Every time he dropped by the garage to see her, she'd smile as bright as could be until she noticed Crystal was with him, them she'd make up some excuse about being to busy and working to hard to have time to talk.  
  
Rafe was sitting on the couch in the parlor when the screen door opened with a rusty squeak and a female voice that wasn't Beth's called up the stairs for Danny.  
  
"Daniel Walker, you were supposed to be at the shop an hour ago!"  
  
Rafe smiled a bit as he recognized the voice and followed it the hallway were Rosanna was standing.  
  
"Hey Ro."  
  
"Oh hi Rafe, I um just came to get Danny. He said he'd help me with the Johnson's Chevy, it's an engine job, I can't do it alone and Daddy's busy with all the other cars. Beth went away with the mayor for the weekend so he was nominated." The girl blew her soft brown bangs out of her eyes  
  
"Why didn't ya ask me, you know I woulda helped ya." Rafe smiled are her  
  
"I thought you'd have something to do with Crystal, on the count that you two are all coupley now and everythin'. I didn't wanna get in the way or nothing."  
  
"Oh come on Ro, you're not gonna get in the way, I luh-"  
  
"I'm ready Rosie, let's go." He was cut off by Danny thumping down the stairs  
  
"Alright, well bye Rafe, see you around." Rosie followed Danny out leaving Rafe alone to wonder, when she got so cute. 


	3. 3

Four months had passed since Rafe and Crystal had gotten together and things didn't seem like they could be better. Rosie stayed away from them for the most part, making it a point to be no where in sight if Crystal was around. Danny kept telling her she was being stupid and that no girl was ever going to replace her in Rafe's heart but she wouldn't listen. She didn't really want to listen, it was hard for her to be around him when he was with another girl. One would think that after being friends with him for ten years she'd be used to his constant girlfriends, but just because she had to accept it, didn't mean she had to like it.  
  
"Hey Ro, hold up a minute." Rosie frowned slightly, she hadn't managed to sneak passed Rafe's locker fast enough that day to go unseen  
  
"Hi Rafe, what are ya doin'?" She shifted her books in her hand uncomfortably as Crystal approached   
  
"Nothin' really, I've been dustin' alotta crops lately and stuff."  
  
"Yeah I've been at the garage a lot."  
  
"So ahh, are you comin' to the party at Henry Thompson's on Friday?"  
  
"I hadn't planned on it, I've got a paper due for Mrs. Lindley on Monday and the Roberts's tractor isn't working. I think I'm gonna be busy all weekend."  
  
Rafe ran his hand through his sandy hair and sighed   
"Come on, we've been friends for years, me, you, Danny and Beth, it wouldn't be the same without you."  
  
"I don't think Beth likes me all that much anyway, besides ya'll have dates, ya won't eve notice I ain't there."  
  
"There you are darlin' I've been looking all over for you." Crystal crept up along side of Rafe and kisses his cheek "Hello Rosanna."  
  
"Crystal. Well I'm sure you two have lots to talk about, so I'm gonna head over to the field, there's a softball game goin' on maybe somebody'll let me play." With that she shot off down the hall and out the front door  
  
"She's certainly a weird little girl." Crystal snorted  
  
"She's not, she's not weird, she's different that's what makes her so special." Rafe gave his girlfriend a stern look  
  
"I think you might be the only person in this whole town that looks at Rosie and sees special Rafe."  
  
"Yeah I guess so."  
  
"So are you ready for the party, I found this new dress I wanna buy for the occasion."  
  
"Actually I don't think I'm gonna be takin' ya to that party. I mean don't lemme ruin your fun, you cane go, I just don't think I'm goin'." Rafe glanced at the floor  
  
"What, why not?"  
  
"Well Rosie's not goin' cuz she's gotta work at the shop, I think I'll help her out. You know that way she wont be the only kid not there and all."  
  
"I see, it's all about Rosie again. Okay fine, if she decides to go, will you?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Good. Oh forgot something in my locker, I'll meet you outside on the steps."  
  
OUT ON THE BASEBALL DIAMOND   
  
"Hey Rosie." A voice called from behind the girl sat in the dugout waiting to hit  
  
"Huh?" She turned around and to face a tall curly redheaded boy with blue-brown eyes "Oh hi Trevor."  
  
Trevor Douglas was the captain of the JV basketball team and was quite popular with the girls, he normally dated girls like Judy Hopper and Doris Plath so the fact he even knew Rosanna's name was strange.  
  
"Hey, I was wantin' to know if you're going to Henry's party." Trevor gave her his thousand watt smile  
  
"Nope, what is it with everyone and this stupid party?"  
  
"It's not really the party that I was worryin' bout, I was hopin' you'd like to be my date."  
  
"Run that by me again."  
  
"I think you're a swinging chick, would you go with me to the party?"  
  
It took Rosie all of about twenty seconds to decide, after all not only was Trevor the first guy to ask her out but he was Trevor Douglas  
"Sure I'll go with you."  
  
"Great, well I'll let ya get back to your game, pick ya up at seven alright."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Kay, later then."  
  
As Trevor walked back toward the gym for basketball practice there was no way Rosanna could contain her excitement long enough to finish the game. So she waved to the guys and ran home as fast as she could get there. She was rather winded when she got there, but instead of stopping to catch her breath she dashed to the phone and called the McCawley's.  
  
"Hello?" A stern female voice picked up the other end  
  
"Mrs. McCawley it's Rosie. How are you today?" The girl remembered her manners and greeted the women politely on the telephone.  
"I'm just fine dear, a little tired with Danny and Rafe being teenage boys and Edward not realizing he hasn't been one for over twenty years." Noreen McCawley was firm but tender women with a loving nature but hot temper, she was the type of women Rosie wanted to be one day "The boys are outside fiddling with one of the planes, who'd ya call for?"  
  
"Rafe please ma'am."  
  
"You hold on I'll get him."   
  
The line went silent for a minute and Rosie absent mindedly twisted the cord around her finger waiting very impatiently. Until finally her friend picked up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi Rafe." She couldn't hide the smile in her voice  
  
"Ro? Hey it's been a while since you called here looking for me."  
  
"I know, sorry. But anyway I called to let you know that I am goin' to that party, Trevor Douglas asked me to be his date!" She was rarely one to squeal but she was just so full of excitement the girl thought for sure she'd burst.  
  
"That's great Ro, wow, I'm so happy for ya. But hey I gotta go help Danny with the plane, I talk to ya tomorrow."  
  
"Oh, okay, sure." Rosie responded softly, she had thought for sure Rafe was going to be happy for her "Bye."  
  
She hung up solemnly and with a tiny scowl and went out to find a new outfit for the party.  
  
By the end of the week the whole school knew about Rosie and Trevor's date and she got goose bumps every time she walked down the hall. She felt like she was walking on air, like queen of the world. Trevor Douglas was handsome and well known, he could've had the choice of a million other girls, yet he chose her. It was almost to good to be true.  
  
They had been at the party for a half hour already, having a fantastic time when Beth, Danny, Crystal and Rafe showed up. The four found Rosie easily, while she was tiny and blended in well with the crowd, especially in the dress she had bought that showed of her slim and feminine figure, Trevor was taller then most of the other guest and stuck out above them.  
  
"Hi Rafe." She flung her arms around his neck at the sight of her best friend  
  
"Uh hey Ro, how many of these has she had?" He asked Trevor taking the beer bottle from the girls hand  
  
"I'm not sure, like four I think." Trevor answered reaching around Rosanna's waste to hold her up, four beers in less then an hour for such a small girl, that didn't normally drink wasn't good.  
  
"You let her drink four beer in thirty minutes? Are you crazy?" Rafe's eyes flashed a blazing red  
  
"Come on honey let's go dance." Beth tugged on Danny's hand and led him away knowing there was going to be a scene she didn't want her boyfriend involved in. Luckily Crystal was able to control her boyfriend, she dragged Rafe away and Rosie and Trevor continued their date. Crystal led him outside and they sat on the porch for almost an hour in silence before she broke the wordlessness.  
  
"Alright Rafe what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothin'." He grunted  
  
"There's obviously something wrong what is it?"  
  
"I just don't trust Trevor that's all, I mean Rosie's in there drunk outa her mind. He could take advantage of her or something."  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that, Trev doesn't even like her. He only took her out cuz I asked him to."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I wanted to come to the party and you wouldn't unless that grease monkey pal of yours did. So I called in a favor, he'll be ditching her tomorrow." Crystal declared proud of herself  
  
"So you set my best friend up to get her heart broken?" Rafe couldn't believe what he was hearing  
  
"I guess you could look at it that way, I just thought of it as wanting to spend the night with my boyfriend."  
  
"You don't have a boyfriend anymore." He finalized as the front door opened and Rosie came flying out, tears running down her face.   
  
He chased her the length of the city, finally catching up to her at the creep where she was sitting on a rock, her eyes swollen and puffy and her body heaving with sobs.  
  
"Ro?"  
  
"What do you want Rafe?" She asked trying to keep her voice level  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"No, no, I really don't think I am. What's wrong with me, why isn't there any guys out there that like me?" She wept into his chest as he pulled her to him. Now it was his turn to tell her she could do better. 


	4. 4

Rafe stood in front of the mirror in the hallway pulling at his tie and running his fingers through his hair. It was the night of the Junior prom and he was as nervous as they come. He was taking Sara Larson, the one girl in the entire town that had more date offers as Elizabeth Sullivan. Sara was walking perfection. Student council vice president, captain of the cheerleading squad and rank fifth in the class academically. Her hair cascaded in colors that shifted from golden brown to gentle blonde depending on the sun and her eyes were so dark gray they nearly the color of charcoal.  
  
"Rafe, let's get a move on, you know Beth hates it when I'm late." Danny stood beside his best friend tapping his foot impatiently, with Beth's corsage in hand.  
  
"Oh quit your yappin' Danny, you and Beth have been a couple for four years now, you gotta impress her." Rafe quipped  
  
"You're not gonna impress Sara if I get to Beth's and she's mad, cuz I'll kill ya."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Hey did we ever find out of we're picking up Rosie?"  
  
"Yup, she got a date so we don't need to. Now let's go." Danny grabbed Rafe's arm and attempted to pull him out the door only to be stopped by Noreen and Edward McCawley armed with smiles and a camera.  
  
By the time they reached the mayor's mansion Beth was pacing. As the mayors daughter she'd grown accustomed to having everything going the way she liked it and having Danny over twenty minutes late wasn't something she was fond of. Basically she was a control freak. Still she was the picture of flawlessness, even for a girl that was about to blow her pretty blonde top. Danny slid the orchid over her wrist and kissed her cheek. Then of course posed for more pictures.   
  
By the time Rafe got to Sara's house his palms were sweaty, his throat was dry and he thought for sure he was going to throw up. On first glance somebody probably would've thought he had the flu, but then noticing his twitching and subtle ramble you'd realize he'd never been so nervous in his life.   
  
"Hello Rafe, come in. Sara will be down in a minute." Mr. Larson opened the front door and ushered the boy in as Mrs. Larson ran up the stairs to hurry their daughter.  
  
When Sara came down, Rafe noticed the impossible had happened, she'd gotten more beautiful. Her hair had been piled high on her head in sun colored ringlets, her hunter grown dress caressed each of her curves like a glove, around her neck sat a pearl necklace that matched the earrings that her lobes were adorning.  
  
"You look…wow." The boy managed, his jaw dropping to the floor  
  
"Do you like it?" Sara spun around the skirt of her dress flaring around her like a flower in bloom  
  
"I certainly do, uh here's your um corsage." He stuttered trying to pin the flower on his date. His hands however were shaking so hard he stabbed her instead.  
  
"Ouch!" The girl shrieked jumping backward  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I…I didn't mean to poke ya." Rafe stammered  
  
"I certainly hope not." Sara declared snottily "Give it here, I'll do it myself."   
  
After Sara had her flower and Rafe his boutonniere, the couple had to stand for of course more pictures. Then they went out to meet Danny and Beth in the car and head off to the school.  
  
Rafe was standing by the punch bowl about two hours later when a tiny dark haired girl walked over to him with a tooth paste ad smile. He barely recognized her at first. That was until he slugged him hard in the arm to gain his attention.  
  
"Rafe McCawley you look at me right now and you better say I look nice, if you know what's good for ya."   
  
"Rosie?" His eyes widened, she looked gorgeous. Incomparably beautiful, her chestnut hair was falling in lose curls, brushing her bare shoulders, her light blue gown was held up only by her cleavage, with was showing amply that night as well. Her eyes seemed to sparkle and the only jewelry she wore was a washer from the first car she ever fixed on her own, on a silver chain, the same necklace she'd worn since she was ten.  
  
"Well don't stand there lookin' all stupid." She crossed her arms "Say somethin' for Pete's sake."  
  
"Rosie, I… I honestly don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful girl." Rafe leaned closer to see if he was dreaming  
  
"Thank ya very much, I'm damn pleased with myself too. Where's Sara?"   
  
"Oh I dunno, she took off after dinner. I don't think she had many plans on sittin' with Danny and I. Though you'd think she'd wanna be around Beth, everyone else does."  
  
"Not everybody."  
  
"Yeah, well you two have hated each other since the fourth grade, I don't think you'll ever like each other. Anyway where's you date?"  
  
Rosie giggled at the reference to her 'date'  
"Rafe, it's just Roland from the garage. I think my daddy put him up to it. Either that or uncle Arthur. Being the sheriff's niece has it's advantages. Roland's sittin' at the table like a bump on a log. You'd think being in a room with so many pretty girls he's at least wanna move."  
  
"He's already here with the prettiest."  
  
"Right Rafe and Santa Clause lives in sin with the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy in Vegas."   
  
"Even when you're all dressed up girly like you gotta talk like a sailor.  
  
Rosie rolled her eyes  
"Don't look like either of us are gonna be doin' much dancing tonight."  
  
"Nah, I guess not. Hey you wanna dance Ro?" Rafe extended his hand to her  
  
"Sure, why the heck not."  
  
Rosie felt almost magical in Rafe's arms as they circled the floor. She was to short for her head to reach his shoulder and she rested it gently on his chest, just above his heart. It was almost like she was dancing on air, that was until Rafe's eyes caught sight of something. His arms fell quickly from around her and he took off across the dance floor.  
  
Before anyone knew what was happening Rafe had Peter Zion pinned to a wall.  
  
"Jesus Rafe let him go!" Sara screamed, trying to pull the two apart  
  
"That can't be good." Danny stated to Beth as he ran across the floor as well  
  
"What's the matter Pete, couldn't find a girl of your own? I know she's gorgeous but you better keep your lips off mine."  
  
"What's going on?" Beth asked as she and Danny came to a stop  
  
"Peter was kissing Sara." Rafe grumbled no loosening his grasp on Peter's neck  
  
"Rafe let go of Peter before you get suspended." Danny commanded  
  
  
"Not till he apologizes to Sara."  
  
"He has nothing to apologize about Rafe. I kissed him." Sara interjected "The only reason I'm even here with you is because Peter brought Helen Murphy tonight."  
  
That's when Rafe turned around and fled the gym in a fit of anger and broken heartedness. 


	5. 5

"Daniel, do you have any idea where my son might be?" Mrs. McCawley stood in the doorway to the kitchen toweling the lunch dishes.  
  
"No ma'am, he was gone before I even woke up with morning." Danny lied through his teeth, he knew exactly where Rafe was. At Huddy's drowning his sorrow in whiskey or a beer. It's where he went every time some didn't go right, which a thing because he a rotten drunk.  
  
"I recon he's still shook up and shaken about that Sara Larson girl, not that I understand why. She wasn't right for him anyway. He needs a simple girl, someone like… well like Rosie I'd say." Danny smiled as the women went into her rants, but completely agreeing with her.   
  
"Noreen, I'm fixin' to go look for Rafe." Edward stuck his head in the kitchen door and took the key to his truck off the hook.  
  
'Oh no,' Danny thought 'if he finds him, Rafe'll be grounded till he's ninety.'   
  
"No, uh Edward you've got to dust the Rayson's corn. I'll go look for him." Danny offered, but gave them no time to argue as he dashed out of the house.  
  
Just as he expected Rafe was sitting at the bar with a shot glass in his hand and a bottle of tequila in front of him. The contents of the bottle appeared to be more then half gone and he knew there was going to be a scene very shortly. There always was, it was a vicious cycle.   
  
"Hey there Danny, how about a drink?" Rafe gestured to Marty, one of the bartenders for another glass.  
  
"You're parents are lookin' for ya." Danny informed his best friend lowering himself onto the stool near Rafe.  
  
"Well, I've been right here." Rafe lifted his glass to his lips and gulped down more of the strong liquor.  
  
"You know there's no reason for you to be drinking like this. Sara wasn't all that nice of a girl anyway."  
  
"Keep on preaching Danny. What do you know, the girl you're in love with, loves you back." Rafe groaned filling the glass for another shot  
  
"Oh come on Rafe, knock it off, you know as well as I do that you're not in love with Sara Larson and you never were."  
  
"What are you talking about? Of course I am."  
  
Danny sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair  
"Rafe, we both know who you're in love with. It's the same girl you've been crazy about since you were six. So why don't you just grow up and admit it to yourself? So what if Rosie's not like any other girl in the town, that's what you used to love about her. So swallow your pride and tell her."  
  
"Oh what do you know about it?"  
  
"I know that she likes you just as much as you like her, maybe more. I mean haven't you ever realized how she went from being you best friend to avoiding you like you got rabies, when you started dating other girls?"   
  
"I don't wanna talk about it." The older boy mumbled  
  
"Of course not, you'd rather sit here and throw yourself a pity party. You know what Rafe, it's time to be a man." With that Danny hopped off his stool, sucked down his drink and stalked off angrily. Sometimes Rafe McCawley was to stubborn for his own good.  
  
  
The next day Rosie was sitting one rocking chair on the front porch, when she heard the phone inside ringing. She set down the carburetor she was tinkering with and set inside to answer it.  
  
"Hello?"   
  
"Hey Ro." The voice on the other end responded  
  
"Oh hi Rafe." Rosanna knew instantly who it was, only one person in the world called her Ro.  
  
"Hey, um are busy today? Danny's out with Beth, havin' a picnic or something and my dad wants me to do some work on one of the dusters, I could really use your help."  
  
"I gotta be at the garage at two, I can help ya for about three hours." There really wasn't much that Rosie liked more then helping Rafe fix the plane, other then maybe flying in it.  
  
"Alright, I see ya later then."  
  
A HALF HOUR LATER  
  
"Can I have a Philip's head screwdriver? So how are you doin' today Rafe, you didn't seem to happy after prom." Rosie called from under the crop duster.  
  
"Long or short?" Rafe asked digging in the toolbox.  
  
"Long, you didn't answer my question. How are you?" Rosie rolled out from under the plane and gave him an annoyed look. Being ignored was one thing that drove Rosanna Marie Gadry crazy.  
  
"I dunno Ro, I'm just a little tired of being played with. I mean why is it every girl in this damn town feels the need to hurt me in someway or another."  
  
Rosie wiped a bead of sweat off of her face, smearing oil over it in the process. She walked toward Rafe and looked him deeply in his large hazel eyes.  
"I'd never hurt you Rafe." She whispered  
  
"I know." He murmured back leaning down and brushing his lips against hers. His strong hands come round her slim waist as hers arms reached up around his neck.  
"Be my girl?" Rafe pulled his mouth away from hers, this time he was staring into her eyes.  
  
Rosie only nodded, tears stinging and burning against her lashes, before she stood on her tip toes and pushed a passionate kiss on him. Her whole body flooded warm at his touch.  
  
"I love you Rosanna Gadry." Rafe proclaimed picking up the petite mechanic and whirling her around.  
  
"I love you too." Rosie replied and then they kissed again. 


	6. 6

Rosie could barely believe herself the next morning as she stood in front of her bedroom mirror and was actually worrying about her appearance. For some reason overalls and work boots just didn't seem like the right thing for her to wear on her first date with Rafe. She had plenty of skirts of dresses, most of which had been gifts from grandma Agnes. Of course they'd all sat in the back of her closet behind her corduroys and jeans for months even years. But the night before she'd been thinking long and hard. She realized the rest of the town wasn't going to be to thrilled about one of the towns most popular boys was dating the tomboy daughter of the local mechanic and niece of the sheriff.   
  
It wasn't really her fault that she wasn't like the rest of the girls in Shelby, apart of her wished she'd grown up playing with dolls instead of spark plugs but her father had raised her on his own. Alexander Gadry really had no idea how to take care of the five year old girl he was left with when his wife Luciana went away. So he did the only thing he knew, he brought her up like a boy.  
  
As Rosanna stood there brushing her fluffy brown hair back in her usual barrettes she came to a conclusion. She wouldn't have traded her childhood for anything. She loved cars, loved her father and most of all she loved Rafe McCawley. There was something inside of her that said if she had been just like every other girl that attended their school, he never would've given her a second look. And that was true, there were hundreds of giggling bimbos in the town, but only one Rosanna Marie Gadry, in the world. But still she decided to make an effort to be a little more lady like. Maybe wear dresses to school and on dates.  
  
The door bell rang down stairs and she took one last look in the mirror at the soft lavender sweater she was wearing with a black skirt, before bounding down the stairs.  
  
"Hey there beautiful." A strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist as soon as she opened the door.   
  
"Beautiful, Rafe McCawley who on Earth could you be talkin' to?" She teased stepping back to catch the gleam in his eye  
  
"My sweet Ro of course." Rafe leaned down to kiss her cheek gently and she blushed at the feel of his lips.  
  
"You better stop talkin' like that Rafe, somebody might hear you."  
  
"I don't care who hears, the whole world can know, I'm finally with the right girl. Who looks fantastic in dresses by the way, is that new?" He raised an eyebrow and gestured to her outfit  
  
"What this old thing? I've had it for years." When Rafe began to laugh Rosie added "No really I have, I've just never wore it before."  
  
"Well you look gorgeous."  
  
"Thanks, so um where are we going?" She began to fidget and out of habit spit her gum clear across the porch.  
  
Most guys would of found that disgusting, the act alone may have soured the entire evening, but to Rafe that was just one of the things that made Rosie the wonder that she was. The boy couldn't contain his laughter as the gum flew over the fence and tagged the town mailman Mr. Brooks in the back of the head.  
  
"You're one of a kind you know that?"  
  
"Yes, I know. What I don't know is where we're going." Rosie sighed as her new boyfriend continued to chuckle.  
  
"Well I was thinking we'd go up in the plane for a bit, then head over to the diner and meet up with Danny and Beth. I haven't told Danny yet, but I'm sure he'll be mighty happy."  
  
"Well why wouldn't he be, his two best friends seeing each other and all."  
  
"Exactly, so you ready?"  
  
"That depends, can I fly a little today?" The girl smiled mischievously   
  
"We'll see." Rafe replied knowing how much Ro loved to fly, she was pretty good at it too. Not as good as he and Danny but better then most, if women were allowed to be pilots in those days she'd make a great ace. He reached for her hand and led her down the stoop to his fathers awaiting pickup truck. 


	7. 7

Rafe held the door to the diner open for Rosie, trying to hold in the face splitting grin that was playing at his lips. He couldn't believe that after all that time the one thing he really wanted had been right under his nose. Her laugh, the twinkle in her eyes, the quirky way she wiped her hands down the front of her overalls after finishing a lube job. Everything he'd ever sought out in love was in Rosanna Gadry.  
  
"Rafe and Rosie are looking awful close." Danny observed to Beth as he spotted his two best friends walking into the diner.  
  
"They always look close Danny, there's never one without the other, that's nothing new." Elizabeth Sullivan twirled the straw around in her Pepsi, with a perfectly manicured hand.  
  
"Not that close." Danny pointed in the direction of the other young couple that was walking toward them, holding hands.  
  
"Please tell me they're not together."  
  
"It sure looks like it."  
  
"Doesn't he ever get tired of playin' musical girlfriends?" Beth sighed tapping her fingers on her chin.  
  
"He does… besides, I have a feelin' this might be the real thing." Danny smiled "I think she's just what he needs."  
  
"Hey guys, can we join ya?" Rafe queried standing at the end of the table.  
  
"Hi Rafe, Rosie, sure sit down. How ya doin'?" Daniel Walker bit down hard on his bottom lip to keep from asking about his friends new found interest in each other.  
  
"Hiya Beth!" Rosie greeted dropping into the booth and forcing the mayors daughter to push over  
  
"Good afternoon Rosie." Beth yawned, rolling her eyes.  
  
The table fell quiet for a moment, Beth and Danny trying to not let on that they knew and Rafe and Rosie waiting for the right minute to say something. It was an awkward silence, one there had never been before between the four. Finally Rosanna kicked her boyfriend in the shin under the table. Rafe yelped slightly and looked over at Rosie, who signaled him with her eyes.  
  
"Oh, um, we've got something to tell you two." He began " Rosie and I have decided to start seeing one another."  
  
"Really?" Walker questioned with false surprise "That's great!"  
  
"It is, I'm very happy for you both. Danny, why don't we let the new couple enjoy their lunch alone?" Beth squeezed Danny's hand, knowing full well that her boyfriend would do just about anything she asked of him.  
  
"Good idea. Come on Hun, see ya at home McCawley."  
  
Rosie and Rafe sat in the Moon Side Diner for hours, just talking and smiling at each other, until long after the sunset. Both knew they would be in trouble when they finally made it home, but neither really cared. Being together was worth any amount of reaming they'd receive.  
  
"We've got to get you home Ro." Rafe brushed a stray curl from her eyes.  
  
"No we don't…" She responded  
  
"Yes we do, I don't want you getting grounded on the first week we're goin' together."  
  
"Fine, fine."  
  
They walked under the starry sky, the tiny girl fitting ideally under the tall broad shouldered boys arm. The wind was blowing gently through their hair, a wisp of hers breaking free of her hairclip and brushing Rafe's cheek.  
  
"You know, I've been waitin' for this for a long time Rafe." Rosie lamented as they climbed the stairs of her patio.  
  
"Waitin' for what?" He inquired running his hand over her face  
  
"For our first date, for you to realize, I'm the one you want."  
  
"I'm just sorry I took so long." He kissed sweetly "Now go on inside 'fore your daddy has me shot."  
  
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow?"  
  
"I'd put five on it." As Rosie reached the door he added "Oh and Ro, I think I love you."  
  
"Well, I think I love you too Rafe McCawley." She waved and entered the house, knowing her dreams had come true. 


End file.
